England together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa before the final, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 2027 Draw
Pool A
- New Zealand
- Australia
- Chile
- Hong Kong
Pool B
- South Africa
- Italy
- Georgia
- Romania
Pool C
- Argentina
- Fiji
- Spain
- Canada
Pool D
- Ireland
- Scotland
- Uruguay
- Portugal
Pool E
- France
- Japan
- USA
- Samoa
Pool F
- England
- Wales
- Tonga
- Zimbabwe
